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Radio presenters earning on the side

Those of us with long memories may remember when Carol Vorderman lost her job at the BBC for advertising Ariel washing powder. Times have evidently changed. Scott Mills, one of Radio 1's biggest names, plays music by Alphabeat (Danish pop group), the Freemasons (remix duo) and Robyn (Swedish singer) on his Friday-night show - and then makes money from their record labels by doing voice-over ads for their albums. His colleague Jo Whiley not only advertises Blossom Hill wine but also Hard-Fi, a band from Staines, which she has also championed on her show. Annie Mac is a third Radio 1 presenter to take on lucrative voice-over work, explaining recently that when the going rate is £1,500 per 15 minutes, it is hard to turn down.

This is not a rant about Radio 1: plenty of others swim in this sea. The other day, I heard Roger McGough, the presenter of